We were lucky to catch up with Igor Beyder recently and have shared our conversation below.
Igor, appreciate you joining us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?
Tracy Morgan Story
Hi, I’m Igor Beyder, founder and CEO of Beyder & Company, a luxury real estate firm based in Bergen County, NJ. We’re a one-stop shop for high-end real estate, offering not just sales and marketing, but also design, development, and construction. Our clients range from Wall Street titans to A-list celebrities and professional athletes. You name it—we’ve probably helped them buy a house, redesign a kitchen, or build a dream estate from scratch.
Now… onto the story.
One of the craziest things I’ve ever experienced as an entrepreneur happened with a listing in Bergen County. On paper, it was your typical multimillion-dollar modern estate—gorgeous views, clean lines, huge square footage, and a celebrity owner whose name you’d definitely recognize. Let’s just say he’s played a superhero and a villain, and is famously obsessed with marine life. Yes, that guy.
Anyway, during his short stint living there, he decided the house needed something “alive” in it. And I don’t mean plants.
He installed two custom-built, massive aquariums—one for a great white shark, the other for a giant squid. I’m talking about a full-blown SeaWorld setup in a residential home. The tanks were so big they had to remove windows just to crane them in. But hey, when you’ve got blockbuster money, why not?
Things got even weirder.
When he left to shoot a film overseas, he hired a “marine caretaker” to feed the shark and squid three times a day. Their diet? Live lobsters, flown in fresh and dropped into the tanks like hors d’oeuvres.
One day, while topping off the water levels, the caretaker apparently forgot to turn off the hose. A few hours later, both tanks exploded under the pressure. Imagine pulling up to the house and seeing water gushing out the front door like a busted fire hydrant, with chunks of coral and decorative seaweed floating across the driveway.
The police showed up and opened the door to what I can only describe as a real-life Finding Nemo gone wrong. A fully grown shark was thrashing around the kitchen island while a 350-pound squid clung to the chandelier like it was auditioning for Cirque du Soleil.
No joke, animal control showed up with wetsuits and containment tanks like they were prepping for Sharknado 6. Somehow, they rescued both animals, patched up the chaos, and—get this—the celebrity never faced any legal trouble. His PR team? Elite. The incident was buried deeper than the Titanic.
As for me? I got to explain to a future buyer why the hardwood floors looked like they’d been through a tsunami. You can’t exactly write “slight water damage from escaped shark” on a listing and expect multiple offers.
But here’s the thing—this is what makes entrepreneurship both hilarious and exhausting. One day you’re negotiating with international buyers, the next you’re watching a shark flop through a luxury foyer.
We always say at Beyder&Co. : We don’t just sell homes—we curate lives. And sometimes those lives include massive shark tanks.
Igor, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
1. B&Co. Realty:
Identity: Luxury real estate brokerage offering boutique, concierge-style service.
Core Services:
Sales: High-end residential properties, luxury estates, celebrity homes.
Design: Personalized interior and architectural design services.
Development: Comprehensive development with a strong emphasis on luxury and personalized client experience.
Distinctive Features:
AI-enhanced marketing strategies.
Focused, targeted marketing campaigns for high-net-worth buyers globally.
Premium client experiences emphasizing minimalism, sophistication, and laid-back luxury.
Client Experience:
Seamless transactions, curated lifestyle integration, white-glove customer service, and superior global exposure.
Prominent Projects: Estates of celebrities and notable figures, providing exclusive access and a prestigious clientele.
2. B&Co. Development:
Identity: Design-build firm specializing in luxury residential and commercial properties.
Core Services:
Architectural design, construction management, and interior design.
Direct sourcing and wholesale distribution of high-quality building materials.
Distinctive Features:
Complete turnkey solutions from initial design through project completion.
Expertise in buyer behavior, property valuation, and market trends through synergy with B&Co. Realty.
Premium material selection (hardwood flooring, custom cabinetry, imported stone).
Client Experience:
Meticulous design process, customized spaces, innovative building techniques, sustainability, and integration of advanced technologies.
Prominent Projects: Church Street Project, Timberline Drive, Denison Road—ranging from minimal modern to classical luxury styles.
3. B&Co. Surfaces:
Identity: Materials and design division, specializing in luxury surface materials.
Core Services:
Premium flooring (engineered wood, traditional hardwood, exotic tiles).
Exclusive stone surfaces (marble, quartz, porcelain).
Bespoke kitchens and custom closets.
Distinctive Features:
Direct relationships with elite global producers, bypassing intermediaries to deliver superior value.
Refined collections tailored specifically for luxurious yet practical application.
Offering minimalistic, sophisticated, and timeless design options across residential and commercial projects.
Client Experience:
Streamlined project solutions, from material selection to implementation, ensuring functional elegance and contemporary relevance.
Prominent Collections: Nordic Minimal, Endless Legacy flooring, Arctic Pinnacle marble, bespoke kitchen designs.
Unified Brand Philosophy:
All three divisions uphold the core philosophy of minimalism, sophistication, and a laid-back luxury lifestyle, delivering personalized and elevated experiences through exceptional design, superior craftsmanship, and innovative marketing. They collectively leverage their respective strengths to redefine luxury living, development, and material supply, setting high benchmarks in the real estate and design industry.
Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?
One of my favorite marketing stories actually comes from outside real estate—though it has everything to do with the mindset that’s built Beyder&Co.
Years ago, I launched a boutique burger concept in Manhattan called Fresh&Fast. It was a small shop on Park Avenue and 23rd, offering top-quality burgers, hand-cut fries, and shakes—all fresh, never frozen, and priced like fast food. The space was only 600 square feet, but it packed a punch—and before we even opened, people were snapping photos through the windows. That’s when In-N-Out Burger sent a cease-and-desist letter. They didn’t like our red-and-yellow branding, our simple uniforms, or even the compact menu—none of which they had exclusive trademarks on.
Here’s where it gets fun. I wasn’t about to back down. My partner and I were two young guys with a tiny shop, and they were a national chain trying to bully us into submission. I told their lawyers flat out: “I’ll spend our entire first-year marketing budget turning this into a David vs. Goliath PR firestorm—and I’ll make you famous in New York for trying to crush a mom-and-pop burger stand.” That wasn’t an empty threat. I would’ve gladly spent every dollar on publicizing the absurdity of the situation, not ads. Within weeks, they backed off. In fact, they even paid for our first run of paper goods as a quiet settlement.
That experience reminded me that bold marketing isn’t always about media buys—it’s about standing your ground, knowing your value, and being willing to turn conflict into connection. That spirit still drives everything we do at Beyder&Co., whether we’re launching a luxury listing, a design concept, or, yes… a burger.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Start by treating your team like partners, not employees. At Beyder&Co., no one works for me—they work with me. That mindset shift changes everything. I make sure every person feels heard, empowered, and essential to the mission. We’re not just selling homes; we’re curating lifestyles, which means everyone—from marketing to construction—needs to feel like their work has purpose.
Also, never underestimate the power of transparency. If there’s a win, we celebrate it together. If there’s a challenge, we face it head-on, no sugarcoating. People respect honesty, and morale goes up when they know they’re not being kept in the dark.
Lastly, I keep things personal. I check in often. I know what’s happening in my team’s lives. Real estate is stressful—if someone’s having a rough week, they need support, not pressure. That kind of loyalty builds a culture where people want to go above and beyond, not because they’re told to, but because they care.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.BeyderCo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyderandco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Beyderco
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/igorbeyder/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcNKJlmX_KSbMO6aeVio47A
Image Credits
Beyder&Co.